Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a refrigerator capable of supplying hot and cold drinking water to a user. The refrigerator includes a cold water tank and a hot water tank and a Peltier effect thermoelectric element disposed between the tanks. When a unidirectional current is supplied to the thermoelectric element, its heat absorption portion can absorb heat from the cold water tank and cool down the water stored therein; and its heat generation portion can release to the hot water tank and heat up the water stored therein. The cold water tank can further be cooled by the cold air in the refrigerator; while the hot water tank can further be heated by the heat in the machine room.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and Claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2016-0043558, filed on Apr. 8, 2016, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference for allpurposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to refrigerators, and more specificallyto beverage dispensing mechanisms of refrigerators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a refrigerator is an electrical appliance having a storagespace that can be maintained at low temperature for storing food orother objects. During operation, cool or cold air is generated throughheat exchange between air and a refrigerant and circulated through thestorage space.

There have been increasing consumer demands for refrigerators with thecapacity of dispensing ice, cold water, hot water and the like.

In a refrigerator that can dispense hot water, water supplied from anexternal water source is heated by a heater and then stored in a hotwater tank. The stored hot water can be provided to a user through adispenser located on the refrigerator.

However, heating water requires high power consumption. Also, heatingand storing hot water tend to interfere with the cooling process of therefrigerator, which contributes to additional power consumption tomaintain a low temperature environment of the refrigerator.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS Patent Documents

Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Application Publication No.10-2013-0009055 (published on Jan. 23, 2013)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigerator capable ofsupplying both cold water and hot water through the use of athermoelectric element.

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a refrigeratoris configured to store and supply both cold water and hot water throughthe use of a thermoelectric element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator according toone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a refrigeration chamber of therefrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a region designated by A in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrativeembodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and Claimsare not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, andother changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe subject matter presented here.

One or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosurecan be easily determined by those skilled in the art. As those skilledin the art will realize, the described exemplary embodiments may bemodified in various different ways, all without departing from thespirit or scope of the present disclosure, which is not limited to theexemplary embodiments described herein.

It is noted that the drawings are schematic and are not necessarilydimensionally illustrated. Relative sizes and proportions of parts inthe drawings may be exaggerated or reduced in size, and a predeterminedsize is just exemplary and not limiting. The same reference numeralsdesignate the same structures, elements, or parts illustrated in two ormore drawings in order to exhibit similar characteristics.

The exemplary drawings of the present disclosure illustrate idealexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in more detail. As aresult, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Accordingly,the exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific form of theillustrated region, and for example, may include modifications of formrequired by manufacturing.

The configuration and operation according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary refrigerator according to one embodimentof the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front view of the internal spaceconfiguration of the exemplary refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG.3 is a rear view of the exemplary refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an exemplary refrigeration chamber of therefrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of aregion designated by “A” in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the refrigerator 10 according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body 100, amachine room 200 in a lower portion of the main body 100, a cold watertank 300 in the main body 100 and configured to store cold water, a hotwater tank 400 in the machine room 200 and configured to store hotwater, a thermoelectric element 500 disposed between the cold water tank300 and the hot water tank 400, and a control unit configured to supplyan electrical current to the thermoelectric element 500, e.g., anunidirectional current.

The main body 100 may include storage chambers for storing food. Themain body 100 may include a refrigeration chamber 110 and a freezer 120partitioned by a wall 115 in a left-right direction, and a cold airgeneration chamber 130 at the rear side of the refrigeration chamber 110or the freezer 120.

The refrigeration chamber 110 may store food in a cold state using coldair generated in the cold air generation chamber 130. The internal spaceof the refrigeration chamber 110 is covered by a refrigeration chamberdoor 112. The refrigeration chamber door 112 may be hingedly mounted tothe main body 100 at its upper and lower portions.

The freezer 120 may store food in a frozen state using cold airgenerated in the cold air generation chamber 130. The freezer 120 may beseparated from the refrigeration chamber 110 by the barrier 115. Theinternal space of the freezer 120 may be covered by a freezer door 122.The freezer door 122 may be hingedly mounted to the main body 100 at itsupper and lower portions.

The cold air generation chamber 130 may be disposed at the rear side ofthe storage spaces (in the refrigeration chamber 110 or the freezer120).

Cold air generated in the cold air generation chamber 130 may beinjected into the freezer 120 through a cold air injection port 136disposed in a rear wall of the refrigeration chamber 110 or the freezer120. The cold air is circulated through the storage space to maintain alow temperature. Furthermore, the cold air may also be used to cool thecold water tank 300 disposed in the refrigeration chamber 110 or thefreezer 120, as described in greater detail below.

A refrigerant pipe (not shown) may be disposed in the cold airgeneration chamber 130 with refrigerant flowing therein. An evaporator132 is coupled to the refrigerant pipe and can generate cold air byevaporating the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe.

The evaporator 132 is one of the functional components that act togenerate cold air in a cooling cycle. The refrigerant pipe provides aflow path for liquid refrigerant to circulate during a cooling cyclewhich includes compressing, condensing, expanding and evaporating therefrigerant. Cold air is generated as the refrigerant continuouslycirculates in the cooling cycle.

More specifically, a gaseous refrigerant having a low temperature and alow pressure is compressed by a compressor (not shown). This compressionprocess increases the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant whileit still remains in a gaseous state. A condenser (not shown) causes thegaseous refrigerant to condense into a liquid with a high temperatureand a high pressure. In an expander (not shown), the liquid refrigerantis then expanded and thereby its temperature and pressure are bothlowered. The liquid refrigerant is then sent to the evaporator 132 whereit can be evaporated by absorbing heat from ambient air. As a result,the ambient air is further cooled and becomes cold air.

Cold air generated through this process may be pushed into the freezer120 through a cooling fan 134 installed at the upper side of theevaporator 132 through a cold air injection port 136. Cold air flowsthrough the freezer 120 can return to the cold air generation chamber130 through a cold air return duct (not shown) installed in the lowerportion of the main body 100.

The cold air flow returned through the cold air return duct exchangesheat with the refrigerant in the evaporator 132 again, which can lowerthe temperature of the air flow. The cold air flow is then supplied backinto the freezer 120 by the cooling fan 134 through the cold airinjection port 136. As the cold air flow circulates between the freezerand the evaporator, the freezer 120 may be maintained at a predeterminedlow temperature.

The machine room 200 may be located at the lower rear side of thestorage spaces (the refrigeration chamber 110 or the freezer 120). Themachine room 200 is an enclosed space. The compressor, the condenser,the expander and the like may be located in the machine room 200. Asdescribed above, the compressor is configured to compress a gaseousrefrigerant, causing its temperature and pressure to increase. Heat isgenerated and released from the refrigerant due to compression. Thegaseous refrigerant then passes through the condenser where it iscondensed to liquid phase. During condensation, heat is released fromthe refrigerant. Due to the heat-release, the temperature in the machineroom 200 is relatively high.

The cold water tank 300 may be disposed in the main body 100. Water canbe supplied from an external water supply source (not shown) via a coldwater valve (not shown) and a cold water filter (not shown) and storedin the cold water tank 300. Since the cold water tank 300 is disposedwithin the refrigeration chamber 110 or the freezer 120, water stored inthe cold water tank 300 can be maintained at low temperature by coldair.

In the present embodiment, the cold water tank 300 is disposed in therefrigeration chamber 110 and water stored therein remains liquid.

For example, the cold water tank 300 may be disposed on the rear side ofa storage compartment (e.g., a “vegetable room” (not shown)) in therefrigeration chamber 110. The cold water tank 300 may be cooled by coldair supplied from the cold air generation chamber 130 through the coldair injection port 136. Thus, water stored in the cold water tank 300can be cooled to the temperature in the refrigeration chamber 110 andthen supplied to a user.

In addition, a heat absorption portion 510 of the thermoelectric element500 can further cool the water in the cold water tank 300 by itsendothermic function.

The hot water tank 400 may be installed in the machine room 200. Watermay be supplied from an external water supply source via a hot watervalve (not shown) and a hot water filter (not shown) and stored in thehot water tank 400. Being in the machine room 200, water stored in thehot water tank 400 can be heated by the heat generated within themachine room 200.

However, a user may want hot water with a higher temperature than can beheated merely by the heat in the machine room 200. Thus, an exothermicfunction of a heat generation portion 520 of the thermoelectric element500 is used in heating the water stored in the hot water tank 400.

Typically users need hot water less often than cold water, so the hotwater tank 400 may have a smaller capacity than the cold water tank 300.However, this discussion is merely exemplary. It is appreciated that thepresent disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto.

The thermoelectric element 500 may be disposed between the cold watertank 300 and the hot water tank 400. The thermoelectric element 500 mayfunction (release heat and absorb heat) based on the Peltier effect.Thus, when an electric current is supplied to the opposite ends of thethermoelectric element 500 that have different compositions, anendothermic reaction takes place on one surface and an exothermicreaction takes place on the other surface, depending on the flowdirection of the electric current. Thus, when electric current issupplied to the thermoelectric element 500 by the control unit, thethermoelectric element 500 may cool the water stored in the cold watertank 300 and may heat the water stored in the hot water tank 400.

The thermoelectric element 500 may include a heat absorption portion 510facing the refrigeration chamber 110 and a heat generation portion 520facing the machine room 200. As an example, the thermoelectric element500 may be formed in a plate or sheet like shape. However, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure isnot limited by the material composition, geometric shape or dimensionsof the thermoelectric element 500.

When an electric current is supplied to the thermoelectric element 500through the control unit, the heat absorption portion 510 may absorbheat from the cold water tank 300 and thereby cool the water in the coldwater tank 300.

A cooling member 700 may be coupled to the heat absorption portion 510.The cooling member 700 may have a plate like shape and include aplurality of cooling fins 710 protruding from the front surface of theheat absorption portion 510 in a vertical direction (using theillustrated orientation as reference). The cooling member can increasethe contact area between the cold water tank 300 and ambient cold air inthe refrigeration chamber and thereby increase the cooling efficiency.While not shown in the drawings, a cold air blow fan (not shown) may beinstalled to facilitate heat transfer between the cooling fins 710 andthe cold water tank 300 by continuously pushing cold air from thecooling fins 710 to the cold water tank 300.

Heat absorbed by the heat absorption portion 510 may be released to thehot water tank 400 through the heat generation portion 520. In addition,when an electric current is supplied to the thermoelectric element 500through the control unit, heat may be additionally released from theheat generation portion 520 and further contribute to heating up thewater in the hot water tank 400.

A heat radiation member 800 may be coupled to the heat generationportion 520. The heat radiation member 800 may have a plate like shapeand may include a plurality of heat radiation fins 810 protruding fromthe front surface of the heat radiation member 800 in a verticaldirection (using the illustrated orientation as reference). The heatradiation member 800 can increase the contact area between the hot watertank 400 and ambient hot air in the machine room 200 and therebyincrease heating efficiency. While not shown in the drawings, a blow fan(not shown) may be installed to facilitate heat transfer between theradiation fins 810 and the hot water tank 400.

Since the functions of the heat absorption portion 510 and the heatgeneration portion 520 would be switched if the electric currentsupplied to the thermoelectric element 500 changes direction, aunidirectional current is supplied to the thermoelectric element 500.

For this purpose, the control unit may be configured to ensure only aunidirectional current to the thermoelectric element 500. If theunidirectional current is supplied to the thermoelectric element 500 bythe control unit, heat may be absorbed in the heat absorption portion510, whereby the temperature of the vicinity of the cold water tank 300and the temperature of the cold water stored in the cold water tank 300may be reduced by the cooling member 700. Simultaneously, heat may begenerated in the heat generation portion 520, whereby the temperature ofthe vicinity of the hot water tank 400 and the temperature of the hotwater stored in the hot water tank 400 may be increased by the heatradiation member 800.

A dispenser 900 may be provided on the front surface of the freezer door122. The dispenser 900 is provided to enable a user to receive coldwater and hot water from the cold water tank 300 and the hot water tank400 respectively. The dispenser 900 may be formed in a depressed shapeon the front surface of the freezer door 122. However, this discussionis merely exemplary. The dispenser 900 may be formed in a depressedshape on the front surface of the refrigeration chamber door 112.

Specifically, the dispenser 900 may include a nozzle 910 coupled to atleast one of the cold water tank 300 and the hot water tank 400 andconfigured to selectively inject at least one of cold water stored inthe cold water tank 300 and hot water stored in the hot water tank 400.The nozzle 910 may be exposed to the outside.

Descriptions will not be made on the well known operations and processesof the refrigerator 10 according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure configured as above.

If an electric current is supplied to the refrigerator 10, cold air iscontinuously generated in the refrigerator 10 by circulating therefrigerant which repeatedly goes through a cooling cycle includingcompression, condensation, expansion and evaporation. Cold air thusgenerated is supplied into the refrigeration chamber 110 and the freezer120 through the cold air injection ports 136 disposed in the rear wallsof the refrigeration chamber 110 and the freezer 120, thereby coolingthe interior of the refrigeration chamber 110 and the freezer 120.

The cold water tank 300 and the hot water tank 400 are disposed insidethe refrigerator 10. Specifically, the cold water tank 300 is disposedwithin the refrigeration chamber 110 which is maintained at a relativelylow temperature (lower than room temperature). The hot water tank 400 isdisposed within the machine room 200 which is maintained at a relativelyhigh temperature (higher than room temperature).

As described above, cold air is continuously introduced into therefrigeration chamber 110. Thus, the cold water tank 300 disposed withinthe refrigeration chamber 110 can be cooled by the cold air. Inaddition, if an electric current is supplied to the thermoelectricelement 500, a heat absorption reaction occurs in the heat absorptionportion 510. Water stored in the cold water tank 300 can be cooled bythe heat absorption portion 510 of the thermoelectric element 500. Theheat of the cold water tank 300 absorbed by the heat absorption portion510 can be transferred to the heat generation portion 520 and heat thehot water tank 400.

The machine room 200, in which the hot water tank 400 is disposed, is aclosed space where the compressor, the condenser, the expander and thelike are disposed.

The compressor can convert a gaseous refrigerant having a lowtemperature and a low pressure to a gaseous refrigerant having a hightemperature and a high pressure. In this process, heat is generated.Furthermore, the gaseous refrigerant having a high temperature and ahigh pressure, which is generated in the compressor, is sent to thecondenser. The gaseous refrigerant having a high temperature and a highpressure is liquefied by releasing heat as it passes through thecondenser. For that reason, the machine room 200 is kept at a relativelyhigh temperature.

The hot water tank 400 may be primarily heated by the heat in themachine room. Although water stored in the hot water tank 400 can beheated by the heat generated in the compressor, the heat is typicallynot enough to heat the water to a user desired temperature. According toembodiments of the present disclosure, the hot water tank 400 can besecondarily and additionally heated by the heat generated in the heatgeneration portion 520 of the thermoelectric element 500. As a result,the water stored in the hot water tank 400 may become hot water.

As described above, in the refrigerator 10, the cold water generated inthe aforementioned process is stored in the cold water tank 300 and thehot water generated in the aforementioned process is stored in the hotwater tank 400. Thus both cold water and hot water are readily availableto a user.

If a user selects an option of cold water through an input part (notshown), a cold water supply signal is transmitted to the control unit.Then, the control unit generates a cold water injection signal so thatcold water stored in the cold water tank 300 is injected through thenozzle 910 of the dispenser 900. Thus, a user may receive the cold waterthrough the dispenser 900.

If a user selects an option of hot water through the input part, a hotwater supply signal is transmitted to the control unit. Upon receivingthe hot water supply signal, the control unit generates a hot waterinjection signal so that the hot water stored in the hot water tank 400is injected through the nozzle 910 of the dispenser 900. Thus, a usermay receive the hot water through the dispenser 900.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are describedabove with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in theart will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented invarious ways without changing the necessary features or the spirit ofthe present disclosure.

Therefore, it should be understood that the exemplary embodimentsdescribed above are not limiting, but only an example in all respects.The scope of the present disclosure is expressed by Claims below, notthe detailed description, and it should be construed that all changesand modifications achieved from the meanings and scope of Claims andequivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments ofthe present disclosure have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, and that various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Theexemplary embodiments disclosed in the specification of the presentdisclosure do not limit the present disclosure. The scope of the presentdisclosure will be interpreted by the Claims below, and it will beconstrued that all techniques within the scope equivalent thereto belongto the scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is :
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a cold water tankconfigured to store water therein; a hot water tank configured to storewater therein; a thermoelectric element disposed between the cold watertank and the hot water tank; and a control unit configured to controlsupply of a current to the thermoelectric element, wherein thethermoelectric element comprises: a heat absorption portion operable toabsorb heat and cool the cold water tank responsive to the current; anda heat generation portion operable to generate heat and provide heat tothe hot water tank responsive to the current.
 2. The refrigerator ofclaim 1 further comprising: a main body having the cold water tanktherein; and a machine room disposed in a lower portion of the mainbody, wherein the hot water tank is disposed in the machine room.
 3. Therefrigerator of claim 2 further comprising a cooling member contactingthe heat absorption portion of the thermoelectric element and operableto transfer heat between the heat absorption portion of thethermoelectric element and the cold water tank.
 4. The refrigerator ofclaim 3 further comprising a heat radiation member contacting the heatgeneration portion of the thermoelectric element and operable totransfer heat between the heat generation portion of the thermoelectricelement and the hot water tank.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 2, whereinthe main body comprises: a refrigeration chamber; a freezer; and a coldair generation room located at a rear side of the refrigeration chamberor a rear side of the freezer, wherein the cold air generation room isconfigured to accommodate an evaporator for evaporating a refrigerant togenerate cold air.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein water storedin the cold water tank is cooled by one of cold air generated in theevaporator and the heat absorption portion of the thermoelectricelement.
 7. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the heat absorptionportion of the thermoelectric element faces one of the refrigerationchamber and the freezer.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein theheat generation portion of the thermoelectric element faces the machineroom.
 9. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein water stored in the hotwater tank is primarily heated by heat generated in the machine room andis secondarily heated by heat generated by the heat generation portionof the thermoelectric element.
 10. The refrigerator of claim 1 furthercomprising a dispenser comprising a nozzle configured to dispense waterstored in the hot water tank and the cold water tank, wherein the nozzleopens outside of the refrigerator.
 11. The refrigerator of claim 1,wherein the current is unidirectional.
 12. A refrigerator comprising: amain body; a machine room in a lower portion of the main body; a coldwater tank; a hot water tank; a dispenser comprising a nozzle coupled toat least one of the hot water tank and the cold water tank andconfigured to selectively dispense water stored in the hot water tankand the cold water tank to a user; and a thermoelectric element disposedbetween the cold water tank and the hot water tank and configured toabsorb heat and release heat based on Peltier effect, and wherein thethermoelectric element is configured to cool the cold water tank andheat the hot water tank.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 12 furthercomprising a control unit configured to control supply of current to thethermoelectric element, wherein the thermoelectric element is operableto both absorb heat from the cold water tank and release heat to the hotwater tank responsive to the current.
 14. The refrigerator of claim 13,wherein the current is unidirectional.
 15. The refrigerator of claim 12,wherein the hot water tank is disposed in the machine room.
 16. Therefrigerator of claim 12, wherein the cold water tank is disposed in themain body and outside of the machine room.
 17. The refrigerator of claim12, wherein thermoelectric element comprises a heat absorption portionfacing the cold water tank and a heat generation portion facing the hotwater tank.
 18. The refrigerator of claim 17 further comprising acooling member contacting the heat absorption portion of thethermoelectric element and operable to transfer heat between the heatabsorption portion of the thermoelectric element and the cold watertank.
 19. The refrigerator of claim 17 further comprising a heatradiation member contacting the heat generation portion of thethermoelectric element and operable to transfer heat between the heatgeneration portion of the thermoelectric element and the hot water tank.